It was a real pleasure that Larry Meade's group saw the Least Bitterns
today. While doing a canoe breeding bird survey route, Susan Haskew and I
found a probable Least Bittern breeding pair in the marsh vegetation on the
north side of the Haul Road peninsula just 20 yards left of the end of the
boardwalk. When I was explaining to Larry Meade where we had found the
birds, the bitterns appeared again much to the delight of both walk and
survey participants. Susan and I found two additional Least Bitterns and
Larry Meade's third bird makes five for the day. We also saw and heard Marsh
Wrens as well as several nests. So as of now, we have confirmed Marsh Wren
as a breeder and have at least one probable Least Bittern breeding pair in
the narrow-leaf cattails along Haul Road.
The funniest occurrence though was in the one of the little inlets of the
"Little Gut" on the south side of the Haul Road peninsula. A beaver
approached the canoe within several feet and then dove while slapping its
tail vigorously, spraying us. It repeated this several times, as if
encouraging us to leave the area. We did and the beaver, satisfied that it
had send the intruders packing, when back to it its business.
Larry Cartwright
prowarbler@xxxxxxxxxxx
